The finishing touches are being put to the artwork for the latest exhibition by Robyn Dower. It has been a collaborative venture with her sister, Kay Gorring, who is a writer/poet. The task at hand now is to pack the art and props up. Promote and advertise the exhibition. Organize the delivery to the Wondai Art Gallery and the installation of it. The Gallery will close for 5 days in order for it to be installed. A mammoth job is still ahead of them.
Robyn Dower is hard at work on her Art installation which will open in December at the Wondai Regional Art Gallery in December this year. In collobaration with her sister, writer Kay Gorring, Robyn spoke about this upcoming exhibition. ” After feedback from my first art installation I had decided I would embark on a much bigger project. I’d take on more space. If I did it over the Dec14/Jan15 period, I could have the gallery for 8 weeks and only pay for 4. Bargain. Of course it meant all that effort was going to be seen for a longer amount of time. I booked it in, had intermittent thoughts about what I wanted to do, but got on with my upcoming exhibition.This was back in July 2011 and I had plenty of time or so I thought. After my big Solo exhibition in September 2012, my sister Kay had rekindled her passion for writing and poetry. So I asked her if she would like to write a story/ poem to go along with this art installation. You know, something simple like ‘one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish…..’ Well after lots of laughs and a brief outline of a story, away she went to write this story. We had decided to write it in rhyme and keep it childlike and fun. I was going to turn the gallery into the house of an eccentric Grandmother using my paper mache’ sculptures and artwork. Kay returned with our story and it was perfect, but a lot more complicated than first envisaged. But to her credit, she still managed to keep within the guidelines. We had the story we were basing the exhibition on. I could get on with now building this into something spectacular. Kay, however, being a writer wasn’t happy finishing it there. She wanted to know why? how? What? So as a gift to me she went and wrote a beginning and a end. Now I had something that was even better. Now I just had to work out how this whole heart-felt story could be made into an art installation. This project has grown and grown, but I have never felt as if I was wasting any time. I know that this is good project. I guess only time will tell. This project has given me a sense of wonder and a definite sense of purpose.”
Robyn has just completed her newest art work. The work has found its new home on the back wall of the Wondai Regional Art Gallery as part of the South Burnett Regional Councils park upgrade. The figures were modeled by local children and gallery volunteers. From the park there had been no signage to indicate that the pink building was actually an art gallery. The figures were cut out of 18mm ply board. It is hoped that it will be easier to maintain in to the future. Robyn didn’t work alone having help from Gallery patron David Carter to cut out the figures and to install them.
This Exhibition will be the result of two years of hard work and many stresses. It is a collabarative piece between Artist Robyn Dower and her sister Kay Gorring who is a writer. They have joined forces to bring to life a delightful story which will capture your heart and fill your senses.
‘A Sense of Wonder’ is the story of Grandma Kate and her relationship with her Granddaughter Annabel. The Story takes you on roller coaster ride of emotion.
The Art Exhibition brings you right into the middle of the story, right into grandmas house where Annabel has returned to house sit. It will provide the clues to piece together the past, and by having the story available to read you shouldn’t miss any of ‘wonder’ it will provide.
The Exhibition will be held at the Wondai Regional Art Gallery in December 2014 and run through until the end of January 2015.
Just returned back from a wonderful experience at an Artist Camp at Bunginderry Station near Quilpie in Queensland. Ten artists and four days of painting in the great outdoors. When I left I was not a landscape painter nor did I paint outside.I just wanted to challenge myself. I came home with a new found appreciation of our differing landscapes and some new friends. Noel Miller was our wonderful tutor and many thanks to artist Annabel Tully, Stephen and the rest of the Tully family for introducing me to their part of the world. A great place in the middle of somewhere. So if you are looking for a place to go just google ‘Bunginderry’
Robyn has teamed up with good friend and fellow artist Dot Rowland to bring you their second joint exhibition. Entitled “Inside Out & Back to Front” , it is little different from their normal work. The pair have taken a new and colourful approach to their art and have tried to explore new possibilities. The Exhibition will be held at Nimue Art Gallery for the month of August.The gallery is situated on King Street Kingaroy (next to the Carrollee Hotel) An opening will be held on Saturday,the 3rd of August from 10am till 2pm. Robyn and Dot will be there,and are hoping you can join them for tea, coffee and finger food. There will be an official opening at 11.00am.Gallery Opening hours are Tues 12pm-3.30pm, Wed 10am-1.30pm, Thurs & Fri 10am-3.30pm, Sat & Sun 10am-1.30pm.
Robyn has been working on her new exhibition for The Kingaroy Art Gallery for the month of June, entitled ‘My Country Side’. This body of work has been inspired by her surrounds and the South Burnett area. She lives on a farm which is reflected in her work. There will also be a variety of sculptures as well. This exhibition will run from June 2nd until the 30th with opening night being on Friday the 14th at 6.00pm.
As part of the inaugural “Tractor Tattoo” in the South Burnett, and with RADF funding, Robyn constructed an interactive tractor jigsaw in the Wondai gallery. This received a lot of attention from visitors, young and old alike.
2012 has been a very busy year for Robyn as she prepared for her second solo exhibition at the Wondai Regional Art Gallery in September.
Entitled “Distracted”, the exhibition was inspired by a comment made in the past by one of Robyn’s teachers: “Robyn is a conscientious girl but can be easily distracted“. That ‘distraction’ resulted in an amazing array of paintings and sculptures, as she moved between 2D and 3D,traditional and contemporary, and changes in mediums.
“Throw in a few disasters with execution of these ideas and I was a little stressed. In the end, I was very proud of the exhibition, with sales beyond my expectations, and everything coming together well.”
